today i spent 4 hours looking at scarves
I want to buy more sustainable clothing! I like 'thrifting', so most of my coats and jeans and jumpers are second-hand, and I check for natural fibres or at least decent construction/brand, but sometimes I still have to buy new. this impulse to make better purchases is in part due to ailing state of world, and also to downsize my possessions a bit and get a higher quality, more considered wardrobe, but mostly because my wool duvet from Baavet is probably the best purchase I've ever made.
in the past few weeks I've donated 4 bags of coats, hoodies, t-shirts, socks, and shoes to charity stores - I'm broadly replacing what was once 4 shitty items with 1 particularly good one. and as I move into winter I've remembered I have 5 Primark scarves that I could probably replace with something natural and handmade. so: here's my four hour scarf journey in blog form.
all made in UK/Ireland if not otherwise noted. I really wanted British wool ideally but a lot of people think it's scratchy so a lot of the wool is sourced from South Africa/New Zealand merino sheep and then spun in the UK. length x width.
uniqlo souffle yarn chunky stole in grey (£24.90, 210 x 40cm). started here. I like Uniqlo's stuff, and I like a grey colour block, but this thing's only 36% wool and made in china. I can do better.
the british wool collection at bronte by moon (£95). I didn't realise until later that these were throws and not scarves lol. but the gentle pinks and blues and neutrals are so so gorgeous... the contemporary check in silver/pink would be unreal if I could wear it, and the herringbone brown is a perfect textured warm taupe. their actual scarves ARE quite nice too - I like the beckett in natural (£32, width 25cm)
oxfordshire check lambswool merino scarf by cotswold woollen weavers (£25, 185 x 25cm). hell yeah brother this is some Web Design. ye olde historic mill. they've even got a museum. maybe if I ever want a check scarf I'll go here, but right now, I want more of a block pattern.
the british blanket company's oversized blanket scarf in woodland stripe (£85, 195 x 145cm) what if I died. coast blue lambswool scarf (£40, 185cm x 30cm) what if I DIED. this hazel herringbone lambswool is also great (£40, 185 x 30cm) and that coast blue has a colourway with a pop of bright yellow which looks great against a dark grey jacket.
the wilde sheep company's charcoal scarf (£29, 200 x 30cm) British wool! unfortunately I find their designs and palettes plain.
rae weaver's rocky shore classic scarf (£120, 200 x 25cm) ohh... this muddy combo of blue and brown... British wool made on a ...weird handmade loom? wild. she does bespoke scarves... I really like the flight narrow scarves (£72, 120 x 20cm) too, the textures and palettes are lovely.
wild wool's merino wool melange scarf in heather (£59, 180 x 31cm) AGUGH the pops of purple in this are going to make me DIE. there's a version with more purple (berry) and a version with more blue (highland) but I'm really fond of this middle ground, especially the bright orange pulling it all together.
rove's chequerboard scarf in earth (£84, 180 x 20cm). wow... adore their windmill scarves too. all the wool's spun in Scotland or Yorkshire, but int'l sheep.
wool blanket online's check lambswool extra wide scarf in belgrave blue (£49.99, 185 x 70cm) it's a Bronte by moon joint, so Yorkshire-made. I also like this plain lambswool scarf in lovat (£26.99, 185 x 25cm)
knitluxe's skye scarf (£86, 190 x 27cm). pale pretty natural palette and design. apparently the specific type of wool it is - Geelong lambswool - is very prized and super soft?
foxford navy block stripe lambswool scarf (£25, 210 x 30cm). Ireland-made, which is close enough on a geographic scale. looks versatile!
eribe's limited treeline wrap (£107). this is sold out but I just wanted to post it because I really like it. yarn's mostly all made in Yorkshire and they work with British wool but they have Italian/German spinners and work with SA/NZ/Aus wool too, so a bit more int'l than some of these others.
isobaa's merino block stripe scarf (petrol mix) (£50 but there's an October half off code. no size) super thin merino in a lovely block print. made in china tho.
kate jones knitwear's wool shadow scarf in charcoal (£84, 185 x 30.5cm). lambswool spun and dyed in Yorkshire. the Bauhaus design - the block palette with thin-striped triangles? cry. there's a version of it in blue and green that's also great. I really like all her other stuff too - those thin stripe patterns are adorable. big up to the wool faroe in charcoal for looking like a maze.
mcnutt of donegal's spearmint and smoke check (€39.95, or £33.25, 215 x 28cm). McNutt's all woven and made in Ireland and they seem pretty big. I could have posted pretty much any scarf they make, but I like the lilac/green/grey/cream combo here. I also like the Vegas stripe and the Helsinki.
waring brooke's spiral scroll scarf (£135, 172 x 44cm) at that price it's not even slightly on my radar but can you LOOK at it.
black sheep knitwear's ribbed scarf (£30, no size). British wool! I love the undyed colours - natural twist and dark grey. I know I want a block or stripe but I can be convinced on a plain one if it's got a nice texture and it's undyed or a little mottled with natural colours. they have a slightly cheaper chunky scarf but I think it's TOO chunky....
peregrine clothing's dennis scarf (£45, no size) in either mint or 'light grey' (the one with the big mustard yellow stripe). maybe even seafoam (bright red stripe). 3 for 2 is DANGEROUS.
row pinto's island ghost wide scarf (£158, 200 x 47cm) obviously out of my range here but wow that design is pretty. inspired by Moomins!
arthur beale 100% british wool scarf (£39.95, 175 x 18cm) - narrow and plain, but the natural colours are lovely. I like their little red logo patch.
wag and wool's navy wool scarf (£70, 150 x 26cm). these guys make matching wool products for you and your dog! love the small chequerboard here.
celtic & co's colourblock scarf (£69, 182 x 19cm) ohh the pink and mustard here. wail. i'm also fond of this gansey stitch in undyed british wool (£59, 166 x 23cm)
romney marsh wools's rushyfield british merino wool scarf (£70, no size). maybe the only British merino wool? a lovely grey with white tassels. their other scarf is 145cm long, so I imagine this is on the shorter side.
lochcarron's fearne british wool scarf in gordon dress pearl check (£69, 219 x 49cm). i've mostly been looking at blues or greys, but this tonal green is great. I like the tiny fringe, too. Scottish company, so a lot of tartans.
I did look on etsy but didn't find much. some woman who lives in a van who accepted both paypal and bartering with vegetables. and no, I didn't buy any of these. yet. I'm thinking about getting on that Peregrine sale. it's hard to tell what'll match my outfits... I wear light and dark blue jeans or black trousers, and my warmest winter coats are light grey, but I wear some beiges too now. I'll sleep on it.